Overview

Fiction. Asian American Studies. Young Adult. Based on Yushiko Uchida's personal experiences, this is the moving story of one girl's struggle to remain brave during the Japanese internment of World War II. In a bleak and dusty prison camp, eleven-year-old Yuki and her family experience both true friendship and heart-wrenching tragedy. JOURNEY TO TOPAZ explores the consequences of prejudice and the capacities of the human spirit. First published in 1971, this book is now a much ...

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Overview

Fiction. Asian American Studies. Young Adult. Based on Yushiko Uchida's personal experiences, this is the moving story of one girl's struggle to remain brave during the Japanese internment of World War II. In a bleak and dusty prison camp, eleven-year-old Yuki and her family experience both true friendship and heart-wrenching tragedy. JOURNEY TO TOPAZ explores the consequences of prejudice and the capacities of the human spirit. First published in 1971, this book is now a much loved and widely read classic.

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Customer Reviews

Anonymous

Posted April 19, 2008

Great Book!

Journey to Topaz is an easy read and quite engaging. The story follows the lives of a Japanese American family as it is forced to move out of their home and into an internment camp. The author did a wonderful job portraying war and all its unfairness through the eyes of the main character, Yuki, an 11-year-old girl. The story shows how all the Japanese in America are seen as enemies to the United States because they share the same race as the attackers, although clearly having no other association with them. In the prologue Uchida states that ¿although the characters are fictitious, the events are based on actual fact, and much that happened to the Sakane family also happened to my own.¿ This information not only adds another dimension to the story but also ensures that the diversity issues within this story are accurate.

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Anonymous

Posted March 22, 2008

A beautiful book revealing a troubling time.

Journey to Topaz is a book written in a simple style, yet it is filled with depth if the reader wishes to delve into its meaning. Written from the perspective of Yuki, the darker truths of the Japanese-American internment are hidden behind the innocence of youth, yet as the story progresses the reader cannot help but see the terrible suffering the government spews forth. The book offers an interesting counterpoint to the mythologized perfection of the so-called Greatest Generation. Roosevelt is shown to be less than perfect, as his orders facilitate the creation of the camps within which the Japanese-Americans are forced to live. The actions of the people in power mirror those taken by the Bush administration following the attacks of 9/11. Then, like now, the government over reacted to a perceived threat and took actions that eventually are viewed as a source of shame and regret. The plight of the Japanese Americans is well represented since the author herself was interned at Tanforan and Topaz for three years during the war. The first hand experiences of the author lend credibility to her story.

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Anonymous

Posted April 22, 2005

WOW!

This book was an assignment for everyone in my 2nd period to read, and I didn't really think it would be a good one, because it looked boring... and yes I know, don't judge a book by its cover, but it really did look boring. So when I started reading it, I felt more thankful for what I have now, and I was really happy that my teacher assigned it! I thank her.

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Anonymous

Posted March 10, 2003

The Amazing Journey

It all started when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor! The FBI suddenly took Yuki Sakane¿s father away from his family. All Japanese men were taken from their homes. This hit all families really hard, especially Yuki¿s. Then, a little later all Japanese people were evacuated from their homes and takes to a camp called Tanforan. Tanforan was a terrible place being cooped up in little stalls behind barbed wire. Being in a whole new p lace was very hard to get used to but the Sakane¿s managed to meet Emi and her grand parents. They were able to continue the fight for freedom together. Later, many of the people in the camp got transferred to a different camp called Topaz. This was a whole new adventure. I absolutely loved this book very much. It always kept me interested. I couldn¿t wait to see what would happen next! I most definitely give this book 5 STARS! I recommend this book because it really shows that you should be thankful for everything you have no matter what the conditions may be!

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Anonymous

Posted May 21, 2002

Importent History in Time

This book is about an inportant time in history. It is very touching and heart warming. It is about making decitions and life or death. The Auther is a fabulus writer. She puts in so many details you feel like you are the main character. She really puts you in the book. I choose this book because I wanted to know about some history. Belive me, I got more information that could fit in my brain. it is is a great book to read.

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Anonymous

Posted November 22, 2000

You have to read this book!

Journey to Topaz This book is a great book because it is very descriptive, exciting, and has suspense. I give it four out of five stars. Yuki is a Japanese girl that gets worried a lot. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor the U.S took Japanese Americans that worked for the Japanese government and sent them to the South. Then one-day Yuki¿s father was raking the yard and the FBI came to their house. Then they took Yuki¿s father and sent him South. The family got worried that their father was getting tortured. The father sent them a letter telling the family that he was all right but he was going to the East. Then the U.S said that all Japanese Americans have to go to a camp. Someone came to Yuki¿s house and told them they had 3 days to pack. They had to take what they could carry. In the camp it was very boring. Yuki had nothing to do and she was starving. The mother brought some tea and that is what they had for dinner. A year later the family got to go¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿.. Read the book to find out the rest. P.S. I recommend it to teenagers.

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Anonymous

Posted October 23, 2000

Wonderful Book, brings out good points about the bombing of Pearl Harbour

I think this book is a really great book. It tells good facts about the World War II bombing, but it is also interesting. My uncle was in that bombing and this honors him because he died for the US, and I respect that, along with many other people. It is good that books are written about this, because something lke this cannot be forgotten. This is a wonderful book.

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